CHARLES J. “CHUCK” FLEISCHMANN, ‘so Dee, Tewesatt snqpaiion ors paoae COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (208) 225 S27) (202) 28-8494 (a ‘Sucierecontno Set reo 8 Swconsras cn Even 0 WATER ‘curnacean I 3702 Scwacamranckoce § Congress of the United States Coenen aa Bouse of Representatives (on RS aN asta Bashington, BE 20515-4203 6 East Mioron Avenue Courmouse March 31, 2021 ‘The Honorable Xavier Becerra Secretary U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW ‘Washington, DC 20201 Dear Secretary Becerra: write to you to express my concems regarding a report from the Wall Street Journal! that stated that unaccompanied migrant children, who crossed the border illegally and are currently held in HHS shelters, would be released “before sponsors’ background checks have been completed.” Along with this information, it’s been recently reported? that HHS is “[NJo longer requiring staff at migrant holding facilities to pass an FBI background check to work there.” ‘You may remember that in 2016, a Senate report® found that the Department of Health and. Human Services under President Obama “[PJlaced more than a dozen immigrant children in the custody of human traffickers after it failed to conduct background checks of caregivers.” Its jarring that the Biden administration has not learned from the mistakes of the past. I am greatly concemed by these deeply troubling reports and I hope the agency will reverse course on these policies to ensure that they are not further endangering these migrant children. Sincerely, Charles J. “Chuck” Fleischmann Member of Congress * ttps:/www.ws).comvaticles/border-crossings-by-migrant-children-to-rise-sharply-according-to-internal-u-s- government-estimates-1 1616800942?mod-hp_lead_pos3 ? https:/iwww.cbs7.com/2021/03/30/fbi-background-checks-waived-for-staff-at-migrant-holding-fecilities! * hntps//wwww nytimes.com/2016/01/29/us/poities‘us-placed-immigrant-children-with-traffickers-report-say'.html